Stay With Me
by Becky Hamilton
Summary: "Do you really think so, Booth?" A smile creaped across Christopher's face. He eyed Brennan from head to toe.


They had been after Christopher Pelant and now that they had finally cornered him in an abandoned building. The cement floor showing signs of discoloration as if it had been replaced and patched over the course of the fifty some odd years the building had been around. The walls also showed signs of deterioration, every type of texture was immersed in the walls, everything from wood to metal sheets. The ceiling was the same as well, holes letting the light stream through dropping puddles of light on the floors. Everything had come to this moment, and now they were face to face. This man was responsible for Brennan leaving with Christine, framing Brennan, and of course killing innocent people while remaining untouchable for so long. People now living without their loved ones, never being able to hold them or see them again. All thanks to this man, the level of hatred ran deep.

Booth stood before him, this man, this snake of a human being was now in his path, everything inside him screamed for him to shoot Christopher in the head, but they needed to bring him in. He needed to answer for his crimes, all of them. Brennan was spouting all the facts that tied him to the death of his latest victim, Special Agent Hayes Flynn. His body was discovered was killed and posed like Prometheus and his liver was removed while he was still alive. She was going through everything that scientifically tied him to Hayes. Everything from the way Pelant cut into Hayes to how she knows it was Pelant due to a certain bone deformity that he incurred as a child. It never ceased to amaze him that she could recall everything about the crime that was committed. He was constantly astounded by her, every day. She was the most amazing woman he had ever met.

"Pelant, put the gun down. It's over!" Booth practically yelled, his voice reverberated off the walls, echoing across the building. This was it, this was the last time he would have worry about this man ever being on the streets. Booth would never have to worry about him hurting anyone.

"Do you really think so, Booth?" A smile creeped across Christopher's face. He eyed Brennan from head to toe, undressing every inch of her with his eyes. Starting with her black dress shoes, then her dark blue jeans that hugged every inch her succulent, up to her pure white button up t-shirt that accented her waist, a gentle ruffle around the collar. And to top off her outfit she was wearing a burgundy jacket, that hugged her waist, and gave her the hour glass figure that he fell in love with. Everything about Brennan drew Pelant in. He threw a quick glance to Booth, who was still standing with his gun on him. Christopher took a quick account of Booth's clothing he was wearing, sneakers, jeans, grey t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. A thought rang through Christopher's head. _What could she possibly see in this Neanderthal of a man. He is far and away less intelligent than me._

"Yes, you have killed your last person! Surrender! Now!" Booth was losing his patience now, the longer Pelant was loose the more chance he would have to hurt someone. Booth couldn't have that happen again, there have been way too many people killed at the hands of this nut job.

"I wouldn't count on that…" Christopher's smile widened as his gun focused from Booth to Brennan. He squeezed the trigger, aiming for Brennan's sternum, wanting it to be a quick and painless death. Booth's reaction time was flawless, at the exact moment Christopher put the gun from being on him to Brennan he squeezed the trigger once knowing that at least one of the shots would throw him off giving her a minor wound if any at all.

"Bones?" Booth heard a muffled gasp from behind him, in seconds he squeezed his own trigger two more time making it a grant total of three bullets in Christopher's chest, two around his heart and on imbedded in his left shoulder. He fell into a bloody heap on the floor. Knowing that there was no chance of Pelant would ever get up or let alone survive the multiple shots. Booth then spun around to look at Brennan, his eyes widening with horror.

Brennan's heart stopped. Everything stopped she couldn't move or think, all her energy drained from her body in an instant. _Why was she feeling this way? What caused this?_ Her eyes darted towards where she heard a shuffling of feet and a loud crack. Her vision was becoming blurrier by the minute, and she felt numb all over. Booth had now done a full revolution from where he was standing, her feelings mirrored the look on his face. Horror came to his eyes as she lost focus on his face, her legs no longer able to hold her weight, causing her to descended to the cold unforgiving patchwork cement below her feet.

"TEMPERANCE! NOOOO!" Booth screamed as he ran towards her, catching her before she hit the floor. She landed in his arms with all of her weight, which from previous experience wasn't much at all. His chest constricted as he held her tightly, letting her knees gently touch the cement. Moving his hand to just below her collar bone, blood already seeping through her shirt and pooling on the floor.

"Stay with me, Bones. I'm right here. I've got you. Stay with me, please." Booths voice was laced with fear, every fiber of his being ached at the thought of her being hurt, and if she died he knew that he would become a shell of a man.

"Booth, I-I-I can't… w-w-what happened?" Bones words came out breathy and slow. It was taking all her energy to keep from slipping away into unconsciousness. Her vision blurry around the edges of her sight. She coughed violently causing blood to leak out of the side of her mouth. The amount made Booth's heart drop into his stomach.

"Stay with me. I'm right here. Don't you dare leave me, Bones." Tears escaped his eyes and slowly made their way down his cheeks. He was losing her, she was fading fast and there was nothing he could do. His breathing coming out in short panicked gasps.

"Seeley… I-I'm cold… Why am I c-c-cold?" Bones eyes felt heavier than she ever had experienced before. She could barely breath, and Booth's voice was seeming farther and farther away. Her lungs felt heavy as she tried to intake air, the effort made a wheezing sound escape her lips.

"Temperance, I'm right here. You're going to be okay." Booths voice was frantic she was slipping away and there was nothing he could do. _Wait I can get her outside_.

"Temperance, I am going to get you some help but I have to move, and it might hurt, Okay?" Booth waited for Brennan to weakly nod, the moment she did removed his jacket and draped it over her chest. And place both of her limp hands across her stomach, then very carefully picked her up and cradled her in his arms. He was surprised how easy it was to maneuver her, it was too easy.

"B-booth…" Brennan's voice came out ragged and tired. Her body was becoming even more numb by the second. She had to tell him, she didn't know how much longer she was going to last.

"I'm here. I'm going to get you help. Stay with me. Just a little longer." Booth spoke with a level of determination in his voice. He refused to let Pelant have the last laugh or to take her away from him. _You can't have her, Pelant._ Booth thought with an edge, he could feel the determination in his body climb to an all new level. He was now practically running through the disheveled building. She was getting colder and heavier in his arms as the time ticked away.

Finally breaking down the door in front of him, he was greeted with an ambulance, S.W.A.T team waiting for his go ahead. The EMT's seeing the limp and unmoving Brennan in Booth's arms immediately gestured towards the back door of the ambulance. In what felt like seconds Booth was in the back of the vehicle placing he unconscious woman on the stretcher. As he did she made a brief sound,

"See-leeeey…" Her words came out weak and desperate. Hearing this Booth pushed the hair out of her face and whispered,

"I'm right here. You're going to be just fine. Keep fighting, Bones." His words came out so low that he could barely hear them. He couldn't lose her, not now. The corners of her lips tilted up for a second, then slipped away suddenly, causing Booth to panic as he was pulled away.

"Temperance?" Panic even more evident in his voice, now. "Temperance!?"


End file.
